Through the years a number of different figures such as dolls or miniature animals or the like have been constructed to provide amusement devices and display figures. Among the many types of figures created are those generally described as posable figures. In most posable figures, a movable articulated body and limb combination is provided with the object of producing a structure which is posable and therefore may be manipulated into a variety of positions or poses. Ideally, such posable figures have little or no tendency to return to their previous position but rather remain in the position to which the limbs and body have been posed. In figures intended to represent humans or fanciful creatures similar to humans, there is an additional desire to provide an outer covering which approximates the look and feel of a flesh covered skeleton.
These needs have prompted practitioners in the art to devise a great variety of structures and methods of manufacture. One such structure is set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 1,595,203 issued to Leathers which sets forth a TOY AND THE MANUFACTURE THEREOF in which an articulated frame member is provided with a plurality of friction joint elements to approximate a human skeletal structure. A molded resilient covering is molded about the frame and the resulting composite is dipped in a rubber solution to provide a thin outer skin covering.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,129,421 issued to Hales sets forth a MANNEQUIN AND METHOD OF MAKING THE SAME in which a multiply-articulated skeletal frame includes a plurality of skeletal elements interconnected by a plurality of spring loaded ball and socket joints. A rubber covering is molded about the multiply-articulated skeletal frame to produce the outer appearance and feel of a human figure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,284,947 issued to Dahl sets forth an ADJUSTABLE DOLL HAVING DEGASSED MALLEABLE CORE having a multiple element skeleton including a supporting framework having a plurality of substantially rigid portions interconnected by relatively deformable joint means. The joint simulating means include a deformable portion of low strength material adapted to be easily bent or twisted. Means are provided for restricting the degree of movement by certain selected ones of the joints to simulate the degree of movement possible in the human figure or the like. An outer molded covering of resilient material is molded upon the skeletal members to complete the figure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,357,610 issued to Quinby, Jr. sets forth a HUMAN APPEARING MANIKAN AND METHOD OF MAKING having a supporting skeleton formed of a plurality of tubular elements interconnected by a plurality of articulated joints. An outer covering of resilient material is formed in two body halves which are cemented together to enclose the skeleton and complete the figure construction.
U S. Pat. No. 3,807,086 issued to Schleich sets forth a BENDING FIGURE formed of flexible thermoplastic material an fabricated in two molded parts. One of the molded parts supports a metal frame while the other is configured to receive the extending portion of the metal frame when the two halves are brought together and bonded to complete the figure. The frame is preferably formed of a malleable material to permit posing of the figure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,394,490 issued to Baxter sets forth a JOINTED LIMB AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING THE SAME in which a limb, such as a human leg, includes a joint member for coupling to the hip portion of a human figure and further includes a multiply-articulated skeletal member upon which a resilient outer flesh duplicating covering is molded.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,395,484 issued to Smith sets forth DOLL FIGURES HAVING AN INTERNAL WIRE SKELETON in which a plurality of malleable wire elements are configured to approximate the skeleton of a figure such as a human or the like. Material is wrapped about the skeletal wire to provide a better bond between the skeletal member and the outer covering of molded plastic or sponge rubber which completes the figure.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,624,691 issued to Robson, et al. sets forth a REALISTIC TOY FIGURE having an armature which includes bendable wires and flesh colored molded plastic hand and foot areas. The armature is covered with a soft plastic foam or the like to represent the human form in all regions except the hands and feet. The armature includes bracing portions molded over certain parts of the wire forming the skeletal armature to provide rigid areas and restrict movement to the desired bending portions of the armature.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,571,209 to Manning, et al. sets forth an ARTICULATED TOY FIGURE which is formed in a pair of molding operations such that certain frame elements are molded during the first molding process while the remaining frame members are molded during thee second molding process without removal of the initially formed elements. The resulting structure comprises a multiply-articulated frame having rigid elements secured by movable joints. Upon the completion of the second molding process, the joints are secured by a plurality of breakable elements which, once flexed, permit the motion of the joint elements and result in an articulated frame.
While some success has been achieved by the prior art structures such as those set forth above in obtaining a posable multiply-articulated figure, the resulting structures are often expensive, difficult to fabricate while complicating the molding process, and tend to be less than truly posable. In addition, the prior art structures have been found to be subject to early failure of the joint elements and often fail to be articulated in a realistic manner. The latter results in a poor rendition of the intended doll, animal figure, or the like. There remains, therefore, a need in the art for a posable figure which provides realistic movement of a plurality of articulated limbs and body while supporting a continuous skin having a resilience and character which closely approximates the flesh of the intended object. There remains a further need in the art for a posable figure having continuous skin which may be easily and inexpensively fabricated in a molding process.